Are you still in high school but you have already hit that worry about which career to pursue? It is normal (much more than you think!) To be completely lost at this stage, in doubt between several courses or with the feeling that no area will do. The first step in finding the right course for you, however cliché it may seem, is to discover an area of ​​study that you really enjoy, if only a little. This is because if you choose your course based on other reasons (status, money, family pressure, etc.), it is very likely that you will not get good results, either in your academic career or even in your career after college.

Again, it is clear that not everyone will be able to identify their passions and career aspirations at the age of 15, 16 or 17. If you are part of this group, don’t choose something just for choosing and hope for the best. You can, even during school or after high school, do some things that will help you make your decision with more certainty. Check out more about it below with our tips.

6 tips to find the right course for you

Take a free online course

A great way to prove different subjects is to take a free online course. Many universities around the world offer classes and lectures on specific topics that can help you discover new areas or reaffirm your interest in a field that you already have an affinity with.

Take a short course or evening classes

If you can, try taking a short course related to a course you are already interested in. Some examples are evening classes, part-time courses or even a summer school. This can be especially useful if you are interested in a course but have not, in fact, had any practical contact with activities related to it.

Take a gap year

Sometimes, taking time out can really clear things up. And that doesn’t necessarily mean spending a year traveling and getting to know new places and cultures, but taking the time (it may even be less than 1 year) to get to know each other better and, who knows, to find out more about different fields of study.

Read a lot about your course (s) of interest

Do you think you already know which course is right for you? So read a lot about subjects related to him! Search for books on subjects related to the course and, if possible, you can even check the required reading lists for that course at your universities of interest.

Many departments even make them available online to download or can send you if you contact us by making a request. Attention: if you come across a denser book with many pages, don’t be discouraged! It may just be the writing style of the book in question or a sign that you need some help to make things clearer.

Participate in university fairs

As much as possible, try to attend university fairs focused on exchange (now only when the coronavirus allows). Many foreign educational institutions usually send representatives to these university fairs that are held in other countries, including Brazil. The ideal at these events is to arrive early to have time to visit all the stands and speak with as many university representatives as possible, trying to focus especially on the programs you are interested in. So before you arrive, it is interesting to do a research at home and see which universities that will be present count the courses you are interested in taking.

Find a flexible university system

If you still don’t have much idea of ​​which course is right for you, but you don’t want to delay your entry into higher education, the best suggestion is to choose a university with a flexible system that allows you to explore more than one area of ​​study at the same time. That way you will have more time and practical experience to find something to identify with.

If you want to study in the United States, for example, it is important to know that there it is common to spend the first two years of an undergraduate course having contact with a wide variety of subjects, before deciding, in fact, which course you intend to follow . Other institutions offer double degrees, which allow you to study two or more different courses. Still others offer the possibility to participate in modules of other courses in parallel to the main course.